Havana , Cuba -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cuba 's Fidel Castro on Tuesday said he would publish a new book in August on the fighting more than 50 years ago between his ragtag rebels and the 10,000-strong army under former dictator Fulgencio Batista .

In an essay published Tuesday on the state-run website , www.cubadebate.cu , Castro said the book will be called `` The Strategic Victory . ''

`` I did n't know whether to call it ` Batista 's Last Offensive ' or ` How 300 Defeated 10,000 , ' which would sound like a science fiction story , '' he said .

Castro said the 25 chapters contain photos , maps and illustrations of the weapons used during a series of battles that lasted 74 days in 1958 and paved the way for his bearded revolutionaries to declare victory on January 1 , 1959 .

`` The enemy suffered more than 1,000 losses , more than 300 of them deaths and 443 taken prisoner , '' he wrote .

Castro went on to rule Cuba for 47 years until he was sidelined by illness in 2006 . He has spent most of the last four years in seclusion , writing frequent essays called `` Reflections of Comrade Fidel '' for state-run media .

In recent weeks , he has re-emerged on the public stage , making seven public appearances .

On Monday , Cuba celebrated the 57th anniversary of the launching of Castro 's Revolution . He failed to appear at that event in central Cuba despite high expectations , but he paid tribute at a small ceremony in Havana to the rebels who were killed .

Castro also held lengthy talks with a group of artists . Both events were later broadcast on state TV .

Castro said he would now start work on a book covering the second half of the fighting , called `` The Final Strategic Counteroffensive . ''

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Fidel Castro says he has a new book , titled `` The Strategic Victory ''

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The book chronicles fighting between his rebels and former dictator Fulgencio Batista

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Castro says the book 's 25 chapters contain photos , maps and illustrations

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Castro 's rebels declared victory over Batista on January 1 , 1959